No further recognition is needed to place Emanuel Ginobili among one of the most important athletes in the history of Argentina, but without a doubt that the news that broke in the last few hours provides another grain of sand to build the image of the legend: was chosen to enter the basketball Hall of Fame and the Argentine player expressed his excitement through social media.
Minutes after the Basketball Hall of Fame account made official news that had been leaked hours earlier, the 42-year-old former Argentine player used his Twitter account to open his heart: “Another thing you never dream of when you start chopping the orange ball! Thank you to everyone who accompanied me on this path.”
The message is accompanied by the official announcement, which was made with a photograph of Manu Ginobili with one of the four NBA champion trophies he won during his time at the San Antonio Spurs, where he spent 16 seasons (2002-2018).
But beyond the message that Ginobili himself published, images of him were known from the moment he received the news. On the social networks of the San Antonio Spurs they shared a video in which Manu appears responding to the call of John Deleva, one of the representatives of the Basketball Hall of Fame, who told him the news.
The video shows the Argentine idol very moved, practically speechless, and closes with a smile that reflects his joy at becoming one of the five new members of the basketball Hall of Fame, along with former players Tim Hardaway and Swin Cash, as well as former coaches George Karl and Bob Huggins.
“It's a pleasure to talk to you. I want to congratulate you on being elected to the 2022 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Congratulations”, they inform him in the call as Manu tries to camouflage the emotion that invades him. “Thank you very much. A great honor. I appreciate it”, replies the Argentine.
This award received by the Bahian basketball player, who retired on August 27, 2018, is a huge worldwide recognition of his career. Manu, in addition to winning four rings with the Spurs (2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014), the franchise that withdrew its legendary number 20, also the great emblem of the Generación Dorada in the Argentine national team.
Ginobili, who participated twice in the NBA All-Star Game (2005 and 2011), won nine medals with Argentina, including the 2004 Athens gold medal and the silver medal at the 2002 Indianapolis World Cup. In the next Olympic edition, in Beijing 2008, he won the bronze medal.
KEEP READING: